Tournament Expands to 2 Days, Building on Successful Inaugural Competition
Men’s and Women’s Divisions Open to All Basketball Players – Ages 8 and Above
DETROIT, MI – The Detroit Pistons announced today the organization will host its second-annual summer 3-on-3 basketball tournament in downtown Detroit at Little Caesars Arena on Aug. 8-9, 2020. The expansion of the competition from one to two days was designed to allow more teams to compete.
“In executing our inaugural 3-on-3 tournament, we set out to establish a summer event that engages the community and unites residents young and old with the opportunity to play basketball,” said Pistons Vice Chairman Arn Tellem. “Given the success of last year’s event, we are adding an extra day of competition this summer which will allow us to accommodate more teams and more players. This expansion advances our efforts in making the game of basketball accessible for everyone, a key pillar of our ‘Basketball For All’ program.”
Last year’s sold-out event included more than 1,000 registered players across more than 30 divisions, including a wheelchair and special needs division. The tournament is open to men and women, girls and boys throughout Metro Detroit and the region ages eight and older. Players interested in competing in the tournament can register their teams beginning today at www.pistons.com/3on3. Teams will play a minimum of four games.
Players will compete for the 3-on-3 championship title through a series of games on outdoor courts surrounding Little Caesars Arena, with select divisions hosting their championship games on the Pistons’ home court. Elite division winners will earn the opportunity to tryout with the Detroit Pistons NBA G-League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Drive.
The tournament is once again presented in partnership with Hoop It Up, the original 3-on-3 tour, established in 1989. Over the past three decades, Hoop It Up has reached more than one million participants across the country. Courts will be set up in the plaza outside of Little Caesars Arena, inside the arena and on adjacent side streets surrounding the arena.
The event will feature a main stage with live music and all-day entertainment, food and beverage options as well as fan engagement enhanced by supporting partners Priority Health and Nike.
The Detroit Pistons “Basketball For All” community program was launched in 2018 and runs concurrently with the organization’s six-year neighborhood court refurbishment project. Elements of the program include providing basketballs to Detroit youth, encouraging basketball participation and usage of refurbished courts and teaching the benefits of basketball.
Leading up to last year’s tournament, the Detroit Pistons and Rock Ventures hosted a “Basketball For All” Community Day of Service at Rouge Park, as well as a free Pistons Academy basketball clinic for youth on the newly-renovated Pistons basketball court at the park. The second annual tournament will include opening festivities and community engagement elements at one of the refurbished city courts which will be announced on a later date. For more information on Pistons 3-on-3 tournament, visit www.pistons.com/3on3.
About Hoop It Up: Founded in 1989, Hoop It Up is recognized as the most prolific grassroots basketball tour in the world with millions of participants having played in one of its city-based events. Hoop It Up is the original 3×3 basketball series that elevates the game with its focus on fundamentals, scale of the city courts, and speed, style and substance of the 3×3 format delivering participants a memorable experience. In 2020, 3×3 basketball will be introduced to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan and Hoop It Up will be a key catalyst in the development of the game. Hoop It Up is owned and operated by Big Ticket Sports LLC, a company founded by NBA and Olympic Champion Kevin Garnett.
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